Air-compressing device



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

W. U. GRIFFITHS 8v H. NIEDERMAYER.

AIR COMPRESSING DEVICE.

Patented Dec. 4,1894.

FIGJ.

WITNESSES TH: non m5 n ne; 00., anatomic" Ms'mrgrm'irk a. c"

(No Model.) 2S11eets-Sheet 2.

W. U.. GRIFPITHME H. NIEDERMAYER.

AIR UOMPRE$$ING DEVICE.

'No. 530,336. Patented Dec. 4, 1894.

7 F1515. F L 7 l? 9 Jr G Q 5' x H WITNESSES INVENTOR'S .65 QQZW? 7H!NORRIS PEYERS cu, PHpYo-Lrmm. w nsmnuromvxv the action of the device, asa whole, is in one UNITED STATES- WILLIAM U. GRIFFITHS AND HENRYNIEDERMAYER, or

PHILADELPHIA,

PENNSYLVANIA.

AIR-COMPRESSING DEVICE.

SPEQIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,336, dated December4, 1 894.

Application filed July 14, 1 894.

To all whom it may concern: a

Be it known that we, WILLIAM U. GRIF- FITHS and HENRY NIEDERMAYER, ofPhiladelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Air-Compressing Devices, whereof thefollowing is a specification, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings.

Our invention relates to that class of apparatus in which a cpntinuouscurrent of wa-' ter compresses the air contained within a closedchamber, and the primary object of our invention is to provide meanswhereby, after the maximum effect of the current has been obtained forone compressing operation, the apparatus may be automatically freed fromthe accumulated water and prepared for a repetition of the operation.While therefore sense intermittent, in that there is a period ofnon-action, so far as the compressing edect, is concerned, between twosuccessive compressing operations, yet practically the device iscontinuously operative, so long as the Water current is maintained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical centralsection through the casing of the apparatus, showing the working partswithin. Fig. 2 is a plan viewof the interior with the top removed. Fig.3is a view, in perspective, of a portion of the workmg parts.

The compression chamber, or cylinder, is indicated at A, and the topthereof at A. At the bottom is a water inlet pipe, B, which is incommunication with a constant water supply, and at or near the center ofthe bottom is a water outlet, B, of much greater area than the inlet.Said water outlet is closed by a valve or stopper, b, which is connectedby means of a chain, e, with a float, E. The cubic contents of the floatare such as to give it a buoyancy suflicient to raise the stopper, b,against the pressure of the water, when the water level within thechamber has approached nearly to the top of the float.

At the top of the float, E, is a yoke, E ,having two cross-bars, E Erespectively, with an opening between, in which a crank, K, engagesfreely, said crank being mounted Serial No. 517,535- (No model.)

at one end a weighted .ball, T, suspended by I a chain, S, and at theother end a rod, 0,

which extends down between guiding loops,

r, r, to a point near the bottom of the cylinder, A, where it terminatesin a float,-R, which we term thebalance-float.

. Adjacent to the lever, N, the rock shaft is provided with a pair ofstop arms,P, P, which are respectively provided with stops, 19,19,adapted to engage with the rod, 1, when the rock-shaft, J, isin eitherof its extreme positions of oscillation.

An air-pipe, M, is secured to and extends through the bottom of thecylinder, A, terminating' in an outlet, m, open to the outer air.

Said pipe is provided at its open top with a v,

valve, H, pivoted at h to the upper end of the pipe and connected with alever, F, which e tends across above the rock-shaft, J and terminates ina downwardly depending rod, g,

carrying a ball-float, G.

, The crank, K, of the rock-shaft, J, is 'rtvided with a laterallyprojecting arm, L, ar- 1 ranged beneath the lever, F,in such relationthereto that when the crank is in its uppermost position (as shown inFig. 3) the lever, F, will be lifted by the arm, L; but when, by theoscillation of the rock-shaft, the crank, K, is turned down, the arm, L,will clear the lever, F, and thus allow the valve, H, to remain closedupon its seat.

The relations of the several actuating members are as follows: Thefloat, G, has sufficient buoyancy to raise the valve, H, against theinternal air pressure, before the water level reaches the top of thefloat, E. The weight of the ball, T, when the lever, N, is in theposition shown in. Fig'. 3, is sufficient to balance the actual weightof the float, E, chain, c, and valve, 17, so long as the balance-float,R, is submerged, but when the latter is out of water, the additionalweight thus thrown upon the opposite arm of the lever, N, overbalancesthe ball, T.

At a convenient point in the top, A, is the compressed air-outlet, O,which may be provided with a check-valve, D, as shown, said check-valvehaving a downwardly extending stem, d, and ball-float, 01, whereby,should the cylinder accidentally become filled with water, the checkvalve would be raised and held against its upper side to prevent theingress of water to the air discharge pipe, 0. Said pipe may be providedwith a pressure gage, O.

The operation of the device is as follows: Assuming that the cylinder,A, is free from water, the outlet-valve, b, is closed upon its seat. Thevalve, H, is also closed and the float, E, is in its lowest position, asindicated in Fig. 1; The cylinder is of course full of air and thecompressed air pipe, 0, is either closed, or in communication with thereceptacle to which airis to be delivered. The water entering at theinlet pipe, B, gradually rises within the chamber, A, compressing theair before it until a level has been reached at which the float, G,tends to rise. The float, E, however, is not yet sufficiently submerged,to cause it to lift the outlet valve, b. ,As, however, the watercontinues to rise, the float, G, is raised, thus opening the air pipe,M, and permitting the compressed air to suddenly escape. The relief,thus afliorded, causes the water to rise with great rapidity within thecylinder, A, and reach a level where the buoyancy of the float, E, issufficient to lift the valve, 5, this action being aided by the suddenjerk of the chain, e, due to the quick rise of the water. The float, E,in rising also throws the crank, K, to the left in Fig. 1, raising it tothe position indicated in Fig. 3, whereupon the stop, 19, by coming incontact with the rod, 1', arrests the further movement of the shaft, J,and crank, K. This rotative movement of the shaft, J, has also shiftedthe lever, N, so that the ball, T, which is now in a depressed position,prevents the shaft from returning so long as the balance-float, R,remains submerged. In this raised position of the crank, K, the arm, L,engages with and "supports the lever, F, so as to hold the valve,

H, open, and permit the entrance of air during the fall of the water.The water escapes rapidly through the outlet-pipe, B, and the positionof the parts just described continues until the water level has fallenbelow the float, R, whereupon its weight destroys the equilibrium whichhas hitherto maintained the float, E, and lever arm, F, in their raisedposition, and the rock-shaft, J, turns, allowing the valve, E, todescend and close the water outlet by means of the valve, b, and alsopermitting the valve, H, to colse the air inlet. This movement of theshaft continues until it is arrested by the stop, 19', which comes incontact with the rod, 1', and the parts thus resume their originalposition. Thereupon the compressing action again commences, the waterentering at the pipe, 13, and repeating the operations which have justbeen described. Thus a series of compressing impulses can beautomatically obtained from a continuous water current, without limit asto number. The compressed air from the apparatus may be made availablefor any ordinary uses, such as beerpumps, &c.

Having thus describedour invention, we claim- The combination,substantially as set forth, with a closed cylinder having a water-inlet,a valve-controlled water outlet, a valve-controlled air-inlet, and acompressed air-outlet; of a float, operatively connected with thewater-outlet valve; a rock-shaft and crank engaging with said fioat aweight and a balance-float operatively connected with said rock-shaft; alever and float controlling the air-inlet valve; and means substantiallyas set forth whereby said lever is maintained in position to keep theair-inlet open during the discharge of the water from the cylinder.

W. U. GRIFFITHS. HENRY NIEDERMAYER. Witnesses:

JAMES H. BELL, Gr. HERBERT JENKINS.

